Welcome to Tools of the Mind

Tools of the Mind is a research-based early childhood program that builds strong foundations for school success by promoting intentional and self-regulated learning in preschool- and kindergarten-aged children. Tools’ instructional philosophy is inspired by the work of Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky and his students, and at the same time, is rooted in cutting edge neuropsychological research on the development of self-regulation/executive functions in children.

2015-2016 Professional Development Series

Click here for information regarding the 2015-2016 professional development trainings including location, pricing and registration.

The Carolyn Boyles Scholarship

We are proud to announce that the Carolyn Boyles Scholarship will go to a teacher from St. Mary’s School in Massachusetts. Ms. Cindy Ahearn, who is an administrator at the school, submitted the application for the scholarship. In her own words Cindy shared that “her school is doing its best to stay open for the residents of the nearby neighborhoods. The parents are supportive and committed to doing their best for their children. I want to bring Tools to St. Mary’s to give the students the best program possible and to give the parents something to be proud of in their school”.
We are proud to welcome such committed educators into our professional development series. We look forward to receiving updates on all the fine work they will do as a result of the scholarship.

Anyone wishing to make a donation to the Carolyn Boyles Scholarship fund should contact us or call us at 845-379-1688 and we would be happy to assist you.

Come visit the Tools of the Mind Amazon store (http://bit.ly/ToolsAmazonStore), with Tools’ recommended resources in one place for Tools of the Mind programs, teachers, and parents. This store offers direct access to helpful reading materials for adults interested in Tools, props and book suggestions to support make-believe play and dramatization, and one stop shopping for Tools of the Mind PreK and K programs. This cultivated collection of classroom materials and books will continue to grow over time to meet the needs of Tools teachers, families and friends.

We’re in the news!

Sociodramatic Play Paves the Way – Read All About it!

When compared with peers in Control classrooms, the study found that children in Tools of the Mind were better at focusing attention in the face of distractions and had better working memory; core aspects of executive functions, the neurological basis of self-regulation. These differences were even more pronounced in high poverty schools. Most compelling is the data showing that these gains were associated with gains in achievement that carried into first grade, where students from Tools of the Mind classrooms achieved even higher results in reading and vocabulary compared to Controls.

“Working memory and the ability to control attention, both important components of executive functions, enable children to focus and process information more efficiently. Our results suggest that a combined focus on executive functions and early academic learning provides the strongest foundation for early success in school,” explained Clancy Blair, Principal Investigator of the study.

President Obama Gets Schooled

President Obama Gets a Check Up

Here at Tools we were so honored that the President of the United States decided to visit a Tools of the Mind Preschool. The President participated in Message of the Day and stayed for Play Planning and Play Centers. Here you can see him getting a check up from a student during the Hospitial Theme. The classroom is located in Powell Elementary School,which was one of the first schools in Washington, DC to adopt the Tools of the Mind curriculum 4 years ago.

Employment Opportunities

A Tools Classroom

• combines activities specifically designed to promote self-regulation with activities that focus on academic skills, while also giving children the opportunity to practice self-regulation/executive function skills;

• ensures children meet state and national standards by emphasizing research-based activity content;

• promotes mature play—make-believe in preschool to dramatization in kindergarten—which is the most beneficial context for young children to develop self-regulation, cognitive, and social-emotional skills.

A Tools Teacher

• systematically scaffolds the development of students’ self-regulation, from being “regulated by others” to engaging in "shared regulation” to becoming "masters of their own behavior";

• teaches early literacy and mathematics, with an emphasis on building underlying cognitive competencies, such as reflective thinking and metacognition.

A Tools Student

• gains control of their social, emotional, and cognitive behaviors by learning how to use a variety of mental tools;

• practices self-regulated learning throughout the day by engaging in a variety of specifically designed, developmentally appropriate self-regulation activities;

• learns to regulate their own behaviors, as well as the behaviors of their friends, as they enact increasingly more complex scenarios in their imaginary play in preschool and in learning activities in kindergarten.

Testimonials

At Tools, we often hear from parents, teachers, and school administrators about how well children in the Tools preschool and kindergarten programs are doing. Districts implementing Tools show fewer reports of student disruptive behavior, higher levels of parent satisfaction, and fewer discipline problems. Teachers report less aggression and fighting, and more positive social interactions.

Dana Hice DePugh, Supervisor of Special Education

"I can’t begin to explain the positive impact this curriculum has had on our students, at both the preschool and kindergarten level. …Students who entered the program with very little ability to focus and self-regulate are now able to participate in dramatic play activities for extended periods of time. Some of our three-year-old students who previously had extensive developmental delays are writing their names, creating play plans, and even demonstrating phonemic awareness through the use of the sound map. …Tools has influenced the lives of our early childhood students in a very constructive way with regard to academic, readiness, social and emotional, and adaptive skills.”

Laura, Parent

“I am writing this letter in support of the curriculum Tools of the Mind, that is currently implemented at my child’s Head Start center. I have had all three of my children progress through the Head Start program and have been very happy with the results of all three children. I can tell you, though, that there was a vast difference in kindergarten readiness between my oldest son, Hagen, who did not have Tools of the Mind at his Head Start, compared to the level of readiness that we encountered with my oldest daughter, Isabella, that did have the benefit of the Tools of the Mind curriculum. Our daughter Isabella was not only ready for kindergarten, but her academic skills surpassed those of her peers, thus resulting in Isabella being defined as gifted and talented. Don’t get me wrong, I am happy with the success of all my children, but I do find that the enriched learning experience that Isabella received as a result of Tools of the Mind curriculum immensely aided in Isabella achieving her kindergarten goals. I currently have my youngest daughter, Birdie, in the Head Start program. She is receiving the benefit of the Tools of the Mind curriculum and because of this, I have high hopes regarding her future academic endeavors. I consider it a blessing in my children’s lives that they are able to partake in such a fantastic and academically enriching curriculum and I hope that future generations of Head Start children will have the same opportunity as my children did. All children deserve the best opportunity possible to excel in both their academic careers and for their own self-worth, and it is my strong belief that Tools of the Mind gives each child that advantage.”